A HARWICH man who was saved by a lifeboat volunteer as a teenager has thanked his saviour as the RNLI marks its 200th anniversary. 

Tony Francis, 66, thanked Ken Brand for rescuing him as a 14-year-old boy in April 1972 – a rescue which made the front page of the Harwich Standard at the time.

Mr Francis explained along with his two friends, he was rescued a mile off Dovercourt Bay during the school holiday, and said: “We were an hour and a half on the up turned boat”.

“We didn't know if anyone had seen us. The sight of the inshore lifeboat coming to us from the end of stone pier was a joy to behold”.

Mr Francis said that Ken is a “humble man” and added: “He has many beholden to him for his service”.

“I literally owe him my life. He deserves every accolade”.

Ken Brand, who was a Harwich Lifeboat man for 32 years, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed every year of it, and I am really proud that the RNLI has existed for 200 years."

Mr Brand, now 76, also saved a man’s life at the shingle street beach near Woodbridge by finding a casualty stranded on the opposite end of the search.

Years later, the man approached Mr Brand and shook his hand, with Mr Brand only humbly saying “I appreciated that”.